Rescue apparatus



Jan. 12, 1932. 5 STETLER" 1,841,161

RESCUE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 11, 1930 4 Shets-Sheet 1 445 Fig.d.

as ,m 6 i 1| &\@\ 6/ I 5/ i g, EM 15597167 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1932. E. STETLER RESCUE APPARATUS Fi led Aug. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 z! 5 19 /a I I m i 1,, I l Z7 Z5 20 ,7

ATTORNEY zmzaakzz E. STETLER RESCUE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 11, 1930 Jan. 12, 1932.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 12 1932. E. STETLER RESCUE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1932 "UNITED STATES EDWARD STETLER, OF NAZARETH, PENNSYLVANIA RESCUE APPARATUS Application filed August 11, 1930. Serial No. 474,474.

his invention relates to rescue devices for submarines, an object bein to provide means releasable from a submarine or other sunken vessel, which will rise to the surface of the water and establish telephonic communication between the surface and the vessel; provide a supply of fresh air to the vessel, and in addition, provide a signal, both audible and visible, which will readily attract attention.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means to facilitatethe escape of persons from the sunken vessel either with or without surface assistance, means being provided whereby the Occupants of the vessel may ascend without assistance from the surface, or may be pulled upward with such assistance.

. lVith the above and other objects in View,

the invention further includes the following'novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the invention with the signal buoy in position to enter. the cylinder or tube.

Figure 2 is a like View showing the signal buoy in discharged position and a passenger tank following.

-Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the cylinder or tube.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views taken respectively on the lines 1l and 55 of Figure 3. 2

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the signal buoy.

Figure 7 is a like view of a dummy tank or gas buoy.

' Figure 8' is a longitudinal sectional view of a pilot buoy.

Fi'gure 9 is a like view of a passenger tank.

Referring'to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates a cylindrical. member or tube which is adapted to extend inward into the hull of a submarine or other vessel from the deck 11. 'lliecylin'drical member or tube 10 is carried by a plate 12 and the latter is secured to the deck through the medium of bolts 13. Any number of these tubes may be used, preferably two.

The cylindrical member or tube is open at each end and its upper end is adapted to be closed by a cap 1%, while its lower end may be closed by a removable closure (not shown) of any type. This cap is positioned within a seat 15 provided in the plate 12 and is in turn provided with an annular flange 17 which extends within the tube 10 and is provided with spaced openings 18 which register with openings or sockets provided in the tube 10 and in the plate 12, as indicated at 19.

Movable within the openings 18 and sockets 19 are looking bolts 20, to the inner ends of which are pivotalljv and slidingly secured as shown at 21, bell crank levers 22. These levers have their free ends arranged in the path of a disk 23 which is mounted upon one end of a sleeve 24 and the latter is threadedly engaged with a stud 25 which extends inward from the cap 14. A hand Wheel 26 is mounted upon the sleeve 24.

By reference to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be seen that when the bolts 20 are in locking position, rotation of the hand wheel 26 in one direction will cause the disk 23 to move the bell crank levers 22 pivotally and withdraw the bolts from the sockets 19 so that the cap 14 may be removed. Reverse movement of the disk 23 will permit of the reinsertion of the bolts within the sockets.

The tube 10 is provided with an opening 27 which may be closed by a door 28 so as to provide an entrance into the tube, while extending radially into the tube are stops 29 which are slidable inward under the influence of springs 30. These springs are mounted upon 90 stems 31 which are carried by the stops and which operate withinhousings 32 secured to the tube. Inward movement of the stops is limited by means of lugs 33 which are carried by said stops. The inner edges of the stops are beveled as shown at 34:.

The invention further includes a signal buoy 35 which is shown in detail in Figure 6 of the drawings. This signal buoy is of hollow cylindrical construction and is provided with a compartment 36 which is adapted to be filled with gas or like buoyant fluid. A

39 and this lastmentioned compartment carries a telephone instrument 40 and is provided with air inlet check valves 41. An opening is provided whereby accessmay be had to the compartment 38 and this opening is normally closed by a removable plate 42.

Extending from the buoy 35 is a tubular extension 43 which carries at its outer end a lamp 44. This lamp is arranged within a shield 45 and is adapted to receive current through conductor wires 46. An air or other whistle 47 is arranged within the tubular extension 43.

Extending downward through the com: partment 36 is a pipe 48 and the conductor wires for the lamp 44 and the telephone '40, as well as the whistle control extend downward through this pipe. In addition, the pipe has extending therefrom an air hose 49. A coupling 50 extends from the bottom of the buoy 35 for removable attachment with a flexible hose 51.

This flexible pipe 51 acts to protect the conductor wires and air hose which are adapted to be carried to the surface of the water by means of the signalbuoy 35.

The invention further includes a dummy tank or buoy 52. This buoy is provided with removable heads 53 and ,54. These heads have openings therein for the passage of a flexible hose 56- and these openings are sur rounded by packing elements 57 and 58, the latter being in the form of a packing gland. The tank or buoy 52 isprovided with circumferential gaskets 59 which engage the walls ofthe cylinder 10 and prevent the inflow of Water when the cap 14 is removed. The invention further includes a tank 60 which is similar in construction to the tank or buoy 52. The last mentioned tank or buoy however is designed to contain gas so as to increase its buoyancy, while the tank 60 is provided with a door 61 to provide means for entry. In addition, the tank 60 is provided I with openings for the passage of a cable 62 and the openings through which the cable passes are provided with packing glands 63 which may be manipulated from the inside of the tank. Thistank is designed to carry a person being rescued from the sunken vessel. V v

The reference character 64 indicates a pilot or gas buoy which is'designed to be filled with a suitable buoyant fluid through a check valve controlled opening 65. The buoy 64, like the buoy 62 and the tank 60, is provided with circumferential gaskets 66 for contact with the walls of the cylinder 10. An eye or ring 67 is provided in the bottom of the buoy 64. Any suitable number of tanks 60 may be employed.

In the event of failure of the vessel to rise, and there is immediate necessity for leaving the submarine, the signal buoy is inserted upward through the bottom of one of the cylinders or tubes 10. This may be accomplished in any desired manner, for example, the buoy 35 may be moved into position beneath the open bottom of the cylinder 10 on a truck or other conveyance and may be raised by compressed air upward into the cylinder until its lower edge rests upon the lowermost set of stops 29. Prior to positioning the buoy 35 however, the wheel 26 is operated to release the cap 14, the latter being removably held in place by water pressure. After the buoy 35 has been positioned within the cylinder 10, a dummy tank or buoy 52 is positioned beneath the cylinder 16 anditscap 53 is removed. The flexible hose 56 is passed upward through this buoy, the cap 53 is replaced and the end of the hose 56 is connected with the hose coupling 50, the conductor wires 46 and air tube 49 contacting through the hose 56. The buoy 35 is forced outward'throug'h the top of the cylinder 10,-the'cap 14 being forced from its seat by the upwa'rd'pressure of the buoy 35. This buoy continues upward, the flexible tube 56 passing upward through the buoy 52 until the buoy 35 reaches the surface of the water. V'Jhen pull upon the hose 56 slackens, persons withinthe submarine will know that the buoy 35 has reached the surface. The conductor wires 46 are then connected with a source of current within the submarine and the air hose 49 connected to an air compressor so as to operatethe whistle 46. The whistle may be operated to attract the attention of passing vessels, while at night, the lamp 44 may be lighted. Also, the hose 56 may be used to take in fresh air as needed, and if the sunken vessel does not leak, the occupants may be made fairly comfortable until assistance arrives.

Upon the arrival of a rescuing vessel, communication may be at' once established be tween this vessel and the sunken vessel, the plate 42 of the buoy 35 being removed so that access may be had to the telephone instrument 40. The rescue of the occupants of the sunken vessel may then proceed in an orderly manner. 7

To accomplish this, a pilot tube 64 is forced outward through the other cylinder 10. This is accomplished by" placing the pilot tube 64 in the cylinder 10 after the mannerrpreviously described. One end of the cable 62 is attached to the ring 67 at the bottom of the tube 64 and this cable is passed through one of the passenger tanks 60 and the latter is forced upward into the cylinder 10 so as to force the pilot tube 64 outward. hen the tank 60 rests upon the lowermost set of stops 29, the door 61 will be in register with the door 28, so that one of the members of the sunken vessel may enter the tank 60 with suitable equipment. Previously however, the cable 62 is permitted to pay out through the tank 60 until the buoy 64 reaches the surface of the water. The cable 62 is then out within the tank 60 and its lower endis knotted so as to prevent its passage through the top of the tank 60. The tank is then forced outward by means of a second pilot buoy, and the operation just described is repeated until the last man leaves the sunken prevent flooding the sunkenvessel after the last tank 60 leaves the cylinder.

In the event that the condition of the sunken vessel does not permit the occupants to await the arrival of a rescue ship, the occupants of the vessel may leave without out-, side assistance. For this purpose, a pilot or gas buoy 64 is forced outward through the cylinder 10 in the manner previously described, this buoy being followed by one of the passenger tanks 60. This tank is forced into the cylinder 10 until it is in position to permit a person to pass through the door 28 and the door 61. The tank is equipped with articles for the safety and comfort of the occupant, such as an oxygen container, a supchanges in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. In combination, a vessel, a tubular member extending inward from the deck of the vessel, a closure for the outer end of the tubular member, a door for the tubular member, a buoyant pilot buoy adapted to be placed within the tubular member, means to support said buoy within said member, a follower tank adapted to be forced within said tubular member against the pilot buoy to force the latter outward, said tank having a door therein ada )ted to be registered with the door of the tubular member, and a cable secured to the pilot buoy and passing through the tank and adapted to be secured to the latter.

2. In combination, a vessel, a tubular member extending inward from the deck of the vessel, a closure for the outer end of the tubular member, a door for the tubular member, a buoyant pilot buoy adapted to be spaced within the tubular member, radially movable spring actuated stops extending into the tubular member to support said buoy within said member, a follower tank adapted to be forced within said tubular member against the pilot buoy to force the latter outward, said tank having a door therein adapted to be registered with the door of the tubular member, and a cable secured to the pilot buoy and passing through the tank and adapted to be secured to the latter.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

EDWARD STETLER.

I ply of water, food and a special flashlight for I signalling purposes. The tank may also be equipped with a flag and a jointed stafi, together with a small first aid kit and a pump for changing air or removing water, together with wrenches for inside fittings. The tank is closed and another tank is immediately placed in position and forced into the cylinder so as to force the first tank outward. This first tank will rise to the surface and its occupant must depend on being picked up by a passing vessel.

Before the last man enters his tank, a dummy tank, similar to the tank 52, containing gas is placed in the cylinder and the tank to contain the last man is positioned within the bottom of the cylinder. The bottom of the cylinder is closed tight before the last man enters his tank and the air line is connected and the air release set. When the release operates, the tank will be forced outward and any tendency to the formation of a vacuum will be prevented by the pressure of air in the bottom of the cylinder.

The invention is susceptible of various 

